Individual Meal Pack (IMP) [Merged]

[The Bread Guy]

In the 80's Air Forces box lunches were leagues above the army ones. We were constantly amazed at what we got in a AF box lunch, fried chicken is one of the things I remember, army ones were quite forgettable.

If you're interested, you can check out some recent specs (September 2012) for bids on box lunches for Trenton vs. Pet here (PDF).  Who knew a “Big Jim” sub contains “Bologna, salami, pork & bacon loaf, processed cheddar, mustard”?

 

[SeR]

Anyone think they could have picked anything less nutritious? 

 

[Pandora114]

In the 80's Air Forces box lunches were leagues above the army ones. We were constantly amazed at what we got in a AF box lunch, fried chicken is one of the things I remember, army ones were quite forgettable.

I heard from a chef, who volunteered at the Annapolis mess, that Flight Feeding was considered a punishment for the cooks there for quite some time.  Comox FF is much better than Greenwood FF I guess.  It has improved since we got here at least.  No green meat, or fuzzy cheese...

 

[Pandora114]

In the 80's Air Forces box lunches were leagues above the army ones. We were constantly amazed at what we got in a AF box lunch, fried chicken is one of the things I remember, army ones were quite forgettable.

Husband wants to know if you ever roasted a pig on a spit during an argus flight. 

 

[Jarnhamar]

Sooner have poutine in a pouch than what my troops were fed this morning.

I've been told box lunches are pretty expensive. Does anyone know how much they cost out of idle curiosity?

 

[The Bread Guy]

I've been told box lunches are pretty expensive. Does anyone know how much they cost out of idle curiosity?

Don't have all the data in the right computer, but given how specific the assembly & packing instructions are in the bid documents, all that labour/processing can't be cheap - or automated.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Don't have all the data in the right computer, but given how specific the assembly & packing instructions are in the bid documents, all that labour/processing can't be cheap - or automated.

I throw out most of the stuff in my box lunch. I've seen guys take garbage bags of stuff home to thier kids after ranges. I wonder if it would be me economical if we paid guys a little meal claim and told them to brown bag their own lunch.

 

[SOES_vet]

Oh, that is so gross... And they are procuring 60,000 of these!?

Nasty ???

 

[The Bread Guy]

Oh, that is so gross... And they are procuring 60,000 of these!?

Nasty ???

Not to mention "hamburger pouch" x ~100K - what part of the hamburger IS the pouch, anyway?

I'm also kinda curious how chicken cordon bleu ....

.... will translate into pouch fare.

 

[PuckChaser]

Husband wants to know if you ever roasted a pig on a spit during an argus flight.

Sounds like an awfully personal question.....  >

 

[my72jeep]

Back in the day when I was Ordering them. 1994ish hay box $4 person, Bulk $9 per meal,(all in 1 or 2 big boxes). Box lunch $16 per box that was out of A153 in Borden for the Cadets.

 

[my72jeep]

Sounds like an awfully personal question.....  >

Mil points for that one :

 

[BeyondTheNow]

I haven't had the pleasure of trying these rations, and I'm truly not a picky eater--at all.  But......

.....I'm worried.  Is this why I was asked if I'm prone to IBS during my medical?

 

[SOES_vet]

Not to mention "hamburger pouch" x ~100K - and what part of the hamburger IS the pouch, anyway?

Ugg, I can just see the frowns on the faces of the troops that get those... That's going to be great for moral when it's wet and freezing...

Btw, IIRC I have seen up to $11 per box lunch, being spent. Again, I am not entirely confident of that number because I have seen smaller numbers as well. I am not too sure of the variables at play but yes, box lunches are not cheap, and neither are MRE's. They are pretty dang expensive.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Back in the day when I was Ordering them. 1994ish hay box $4 person, Bulk $9 per meal,(all in 1 or 2 big boxes). Box lunch $16 per box that was out of A153 in Borden for the Cadets.

.... Btw, IIRC I have seen up to $11 per box lunch, being spent. Again, I am not entirely confident of that number because I have seen smaller numbers as well ....

Thanks for those tidbits.  I'm curious - was that with CF staff making/assembling the box lunches?  I'm guessing yes, but I haven't been tracking MERX long enough to know exactly when the outsourcing of box lunches began in earnest.

Ugg, I can just see the frowns on the faces of the troops that get those... That's going to be great for moral when it's wet and freezing...

To be fair, I'm also going to guess the "Hamburger Pouch" would be similar to a Salisbury steak (as was done in boil pouches, with mushroom gravy if memory serves, in previous ration pack iterations).

 

[BernDawg]

Since we're slightly off topic anyway you haven't lived until you've had a Brit box (bag) lunch. Not the ones the officers get either, I'm talking about the 2 mystery meat sangys and bottle of fizz the squaddies get to sustain them through a hard days work. (at least that's what we got back in the 90's)

Poutine in a bag? Could be worse. Plain omelette anyone?  :warstory:

 

[Jarnhamar]

Since we're slightly off topic anyway you haven't lived until you've had a Brit box (bag) lunch. Not the ones the officers get either, I'm talking about the 2 mystery meat sangys and bottle of fizz the squaddies get to sustain them through a hard days work. (at least that's what we got back in the 90's)

Poutine in a bag? Could be worse. Plain omelette anyone?  :warstory:

British officers get different types of meals than their men?

 

[BernDawg]

British officers get different types of meals than their men?

From what I've been told, yes. Do I have first hand knowledge of this? No. There may be others here with first hand experience.

Anecdotal evidence is that the Officers get a box lunch several grades higher than the men and it comes with silverware included because gentlemen do not use their fingers to eat. At least that's what we were told back in the late 80's early 90's.

 

[SOES_vet]

To be fair, I'm also going to guess the "Hamburger Pouch" would be similar to a Salisbury steak (as was done in boil pouches, with mushroom gravy if memory serves, in previous ration pack iterations).

Let's hope so... I honestly don't mind IMP's that much... After a couple of weeks it gets a bit awful but otherwise, meh. I will say though, when getting food is the highlight of your day, it can really sap you, when you get something that just turns your stomach.....

:blotto:

*edited, used MRE rather than IMP, had a brain fart

 

[my72jeep]

Who here were lucky or not, and got to try the Pizza pocket they trialed back n the 90s?